Get a Taste of the LuckyRice Festival in N.Y.C.

Wouldn’t it be great to eat an array of authentic Asian delicacies without having to endure the 10-plus hour flight? Well, now there’s a way.
On March 20th, the 6th annual LuckyRice Festival Grand Feast returns to N.Y.C. Held at the Mandarin Oriental hotel, the event was founded by Danielle Chang, a Taiwanese-born New Yorker, who wanted to showcase the amazing diversity and complexity of Asian food.

The first festival — promoted by high-profile chef sponsors such as Daniel Boulud, Marcus Samuelsson, David Chang — was held in 2009 and has since grown to include events across the country. This year, over 15,000 attendees are expected.

In celebration of the event, PEOPLE caught up with Michael Ferraro, executive chef at Delicatessen in N.Y.C., who will be part of this year’s festivities. He shares his recipe for chilled English pea soup, which he’s serving along with its perfect cocktail pairing, the Sapphire East: Feeling Sheep(ish).

The drink — a sweet combination of ginger syrup, chamomile tea and Bombay Sapphire East gin — commemorates the Year of The Sheep (and honors the tender, calm characteristics of sheep and goats everywhere.)

1. In a medium size sauce pan add 2 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, garlic, shallot and thyme. Sauté over medium heat for 2 minutes.2. Add peas. Sauté over high heat for another 2 minutes.3. Add white wine. Continue to cook over high heat until wine is evaporated. Add vegetable stock and simmer over medium heat for 25 minutes.4. Stir in spinach then immediately remove from heat. Chill over ice bath. After cooled, strain peas and remove broth. Reserve both.5. In a high speed blender add half the amount of pea mixture and a cup and a half of liquid, blend over high speed adjusting consistency with broth as needed. Blend in with the broth 3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil.6. Pass soup through fine sift, season with salt and pepper. Repeat process for remaining peas.